Brink, Bissler discuss what they wish Jackson residents knew

Monday

Mar 31, 2014 at 11:07 AM

Alison Matas

My interview with Jackson Township Police Department Chief Mark Brink and Major Ty Bissler — for Sunday's article about their first year in charge — covered more topics than I was able to include in my story.

Here's a little "behind the scenes" look at some of the other issues we talked about:

What do you wish Jackson residents knew about the department or your jobs?

Brink: "I don't think people understand how busy this department really is." He went on to say that the retail areas in the township draw an extra 90,000 to 100,000 people into Jackson each day. He remembered a roll call for officers a few weeks ago that started with six people and ended with one — because five were called out to handle crashes.

Bissler: "I think sometimes we're viewed as not a real police department." He said the township is fortunate not to have the violence some other departments in the county do, but he thinks the potential for violence is there, since people flock to Jackson's bars and hotels.

Does serving a wealthier community pose challenges?

Brink: He said people who are looking in on Jackson see a broader opportunity for crime, especially at the mall.

Bissler: "They expect a higher level of service from our officers," he said. The department offers some extra services — last year, officers checked on 7,500 homes while residents were on vacation and checked on 6,300 businesses at night. The officers who are assigned to the homes or businesses try to stop once a day.

How has the township or department changed in the past 20 years?

(This question was for Bissler, who started working for Jackson full time in 1994.)

Bissler: When he started patrolling the township, The Strip didn't exist. And it wasn't unusual for two people to come in for the afternoon shift — one assigned to the north part of the township, and the other assigned to the south part. Now, six to eight officers come in for afternoons. "It's just a growing community," he said.